Dear Sisters and Brothers A few weeks ago, all parish priests in Scotland were informed, by the Covid-19 Working Group of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, of the Group’s initial recommendations for resuming the celebration of parish Mass with the people actually present. Alleluia! In sending out these initial recommendations,...

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI ON OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENCYCLICAL “HAURIETIS AQUAS’    To the Most Reverend Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. Superior General of the Society of Jesus Today, 50 years later, the Prophet Isaiah’s words, which Pius XII placed at the beginning of the...

Holy Mass on the Solemnity of Pentecost, 31.05.2020   At 10.00 this morning, Sunday of Pentecost, the Holy Father Francis celebrated Holy Mass at the Altar of the Cathedra, in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The following is the homily pronounced by the Pope during the Eucharistic Celebration, after the proclamation of...

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/06/witnessing-martyrdom   https://www.firstthings.com/article/2020/06/the-final-enemy

A sermon by Pope St. Paul VI The African martyrs add another page to the martyrology – the Church’s roll of honour – an occasion both of mourning and of joy. This is a page worthy in every way to be added to the annals of that Africa of earlier times which...

The text below is taken from a colloquy of St. Dorotheus  of Gaza (d. 565). This is a very perceptive piece and worthy of some serious meditation. It will probably prompt some equally serious self-examination. The man who finds fault with himself accepts all things cheerfully – misfortune, loss, disgrace, dishonour...

From an allocution by Pope Saint Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council Meditating on the close relationships between Mary and the Church, for the glory of the Virgin Mary and for our own consolation, we proclaim the Most Blessed Mary Mother of the Church, that is to say of...

An “aspiration” literally means a “breathing out” or “breathing towards.” In this case it is the expression of a short invocation of prayer to Jesus as the Sacred Heart. The idea is that the prayer takes as long as one breath. These prayers may seem innocuous, but they are very...

In this month traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I warmly encourage all parishioners to consecrate themselves, their families, etc., to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I will offer a series of “consecration” formulae you can use or choose from. The Sacred Heart of Jesus sums up in...